The Cost of Passion
by harryschic
Summary: Harry has a wonderful dream of an impossible night, with someone he can't have. What happens when he really starts to think about it? Please read and review! H/H
1. The Dream of a Fallen Angel

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
Authors Note: Hey! I hope that you like my story, it's not my first attempt, but it's the first that I've been brave enough to post. This first time I did this it didn't work, so I hope that this time it will come out all right!  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter One: The Dream of a Fallen Angel  
  
The dwelling that they occupied was an absolutely beautiful place, and it looked to be so new. Yet, it was somehow quite familiar to Harry, he just couldn't think of when he had remembered being here. He knew what was going on, and, to his surprise, he knew exactly who he was with in this wonderful place. Hermione Granger was the most beautiful thing in the world to Harry, and seeing her like this only made him love her even more. He looked to see his love, her face full of grace, beauty, and anticipation for the beautiful end of their actions.  
  
Passion was running high. Nothing could stop this perfect moment going on. This was what they had both been waiting on for what seemed like forever. It was just like it should be between the two of them. At that moment, the two of them were one. Harry was desperately hoping that the moment would never end. This time that they were spending together was theirs, and nothing could take this away from them. Then, Harry looked to Hermione's face, and he saw the most beautiful person in the world. She was his, and he never wanted to lose her. He knew that he was supposed to spend every moment for the rest of his life with Hermione, his Hermione.  
  
"Oh Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, coming to her climax.  
  
She moaned, and slowly stopped moving, and Harry took this as a sign to stop. He slowly pulled out while smiling at Hermione and not breaking their eye contact. He smiled as the two of them laid down next to one another. Hermione deeply exhaled, moving her long and matted mass of curls from her face. She laid her head down on the pillow and looked at Harry. He smiled at her, and she returned his warm smile. Both of them were worn out from the pure passion and feeling of ecstasy that had just occurred. Hermione was the first to speak.  
  
"That was absolutely wonderful," she quietly said.  
  
Harry rubbed her soft cheek with his hand, "I know, the same goes for me."  
  
Harry placed his arms around Hermione's waist and kissed her delicately on the lips. She smiled at him and cuddled up to Harry's body. She too seemed to be as happy as she had been in a long time. After a few minutes, Harry realized that Hermione had drifted off to sleep. He held her even closer to him just to watch her sleep. He looked down at her, trying to take in all of her wonderful features. He could only gaze at her beauty, lost for words. Her long, golden blonde curls were strewn all around her. Her soft skin was relaxed, and the expression on her face was nothing short of magnificent. He couldn't see her soft brown eyes, but he could picture exactly what they looked like, every soft tint. He knew that he had found the one for him.  
  
Harry gently removed his hands from Hermione's waist and turned to accompany her in slumber. He knew that he would eventually have to break his gaze on her, but she was so beautiful. He wanted to look at her for the rest of forever. He had to say, this was definitely the greatest night of his life. Even though this was the greatest time he'd ever known, he was still dead tired. Before he went to sleep, he knew that he had to let Hermione know how much she meant to him. He had a strange feeling that, if he didn't do this now, he would never have another chance to let her know of his feelings for her. Harry could only think of one thing at the moment to compare with Hermione. He remembered the words of a love song that he had heard a long time ago, and he could compare with it perfectly.  
  
"And now you're just another fallen angel  
And I hope that the fall didn't do you no harm  
Now you're just another fallen angel,  
Falling into somebody else's arms."  
  
Harry sincerely hoped that he would be the one to save her from her fall from grace. He knew that he had to make her his, and he had to do it now. He reached his hand out to touch her, but he couldn't feel her. There wasn't anything that he could even feel, just air. He didn't know what was going on at the moment. It was as though she was leaving and doing it quickly. Everything was going black. The world as he knew it was fading before his eyes. He once again reached out to the place where Hermione had laid only seconds before. He could only feel the cold air that was slowly engulfing him from all sides. He felt as if the cold of death was sucking him down into its pits.  
  
"Hermione!" he yelled into oblivion, but he received no answer.  
  
Harry suddenly jumped up in his bed with a gasp. He wiped the cold sweat away from his forehead eyebrows. A dream, it had all been a dream. He reached for his glasses and placed them on his eyes. He couldn't believe what was happening. It hadn't been real, and he hadn't been with Hermione. In face, he hadn't even known why he dreamed about Hermione. She was all but engaged to Ron. They had been dating for years, and he knew that they would soon be married. He looked at the clock and saw that it was nearing three in the morning. He took his glasses off and turned around toward the wall. He had the strange feeling of confusion as to why he couldn't stop thinking about the song "Fallen Angel." The song was replaying itself over and over again inside his head. He remembered everything perfectly from his dream, but he remembered nothing of the song, and it was a very odd feeling to have. Finally, shaking off the feeling, he took a deep breath and decided to get back to sleep.  
  
What an odd dream.  
  
Author's Note: Hey! I wanted to say thank you to my first reviewer, Harry is a Hottie: Thanks so much for being the first to read my story, and I hope that I'll be able to post more very soon! 


	2. Fantasy, Quidditch, and Celebration

The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Two: Fantasy, Quidditch, and Celebration  
  
Harry awoke the next morning, his head still spilling over with thoughts of Hermione. He had an odd feeling in his heart and mind that this would not be an easy thing for him to forget. He had come to a conclusion that he wasn't going to say anything about his off-the-wall dream to Ron or Hermione. He knew that this could only rouse suspicion and most likely question his sanity and intentions for romance or friendship with Hermione.  
  
After lying in bed for a few minutes and pondering his thoughts, he got up and headed toward the bathroom to prepare for the day. With last night's events, he had almost forgotten his obligations for the day. Unbeknownst to him earlier, he had a very important Quidditch match to play in that could very well decide whether or not Harry's team, the Wimbourne Wasps, would make it to the World Cup this year. He took off his glasses and turned on the faucet.  
  
"I don't now why you dreamed that, but you've got to get it off your mind before the match," he said out loud to himself, splashing water on his face. "If you don't, you're going to screw up the match for everyone and be no closer to coming to a solution." He finished cleaning up and changing and went and collected his broom and Wasp robes. He knew that he was now ready to play with a clear, fresh, and Hermione-free mind. Just as Harry was about to leave, someone knocked on his door.  
  
"Who is it?" Harry said before turning the knob.  
  
"It's Ron, mate!" he heard his best friend's voice reply.  
  
Harry opened the door to see Ron standing there with a big grin on his face. Then, Harry noticed that Ron wasn't alone. When he looked next to Ron, his heart almost stopped. There, in all her beauty, stood Hermione. She was wearing a yellow sweater that fit her perfectly and a long denim skirt, and Harry couldn't remember when she had looked better. He could think of no words to say to her. He was gaping open-mouthed at her when she spoke.  
  
"What's wrong, Harry?" she said in her sweet and innocent tone.  
  
"Nothing, it's nothing at all," he quickly replied, trying to hid any hint of emotion in his voice. "Shall we get going? I assume you're both here to cheer me on," he added in a would-be-calm tone. Instead, it turned out nervous.  
  
"Of course, Harry!" Ron added with a laugh, not catching the emotion in his tone.  
  
"We wouldn't miss it, and you know it!" Hermione added happily, giving Harry a warm and friendly hug.  
  
When she did this, it was like fireworks were going off inside his entire body. He had this wonderful feeling coursing through his veins, something that he could not ever remember feeling in the past. When he began to think about it, though, he began feeling like this was an extremely awkward situation since Ron was here, but he only smiled and muttered a vague 'thanks' before disapparating.  
  
"Wonder what's into him today?" Hermione said as she stared at the space that had previously held Harry.  
  
"Dunno," Ron muttered, "maybe it's just pre-match jitters."  
  
¤~Later~¤  
  
He was so happy. He had caught the Snitch. They had won, and now they would be going to the Quidditch World Cup. As she stood there alone on the field with the Golden Snitch clasped in his right first, he could not help but think of how it had all passed in a blur. And somehow, Hermione's face was all that he could think of most of the time now. He knew that he would have to say something to her, eventually. Before he could form his new idea, he saw Fred, George, and Ron running toward him with Hermione not far behind.  
  
"Brilliant Harry!" George yelled.  
  
"Bloody excellent, mate!" Fred said, clapping him on the shoulder.  
  
"Harry!" he heard someone call.  
  
Hermione was standing next to Ron, and she was positively glowing. He knew that he could have a moment to talk to her now. Harry smiled at her and started to walk toward her, but before he could say anything, Ron interrupted.  
  
"C'mon Harry," he said. Before he knew it, he was pulled aside by Ron. "There's something that I really want to discuss with you, or tell you, I guess," he quietly said.  
  
Harry wondered what he was talking about, but he only nodded. He knew that it couldn't be something about his dream. He acted completely oblivious to everything, just so Ron would suspect. Then, Ron turned to talk to his brothers. Harry heard them mention something about a big celebration that was starting immediately and would demand Harry's attendance. Ron looked slightly disappointed, but he didn't seem to show it in his voice.  
  
"Never mind about what I said a minute ago," he said. "I'll discuss it with you tomorrow at dinner and Mum and Dad's house."  
  
Harry agreed, but then he wondered why Ron was mentioning dinner. Then, it came to him. He wondered how he could have forgotten Easter dinner at the Weasley's. Then, he felt himself being pulled away by several pairs of hands heading for the victory celebration at the local pub with thoughts of Hermione finally gone from his mind. At least, for a while. 


	3. Surprising News and Seduction

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Three: Surprising News and Seduction  
  
"Where am I?" Harry mumbled, reaching blindly for his glasses. He had a bad feeling that they wouldn't help him very much anyway. Without even putting them on, he knew right away that he had the worst headache, most likely from the worst hangover in the entire history of his life. After putting his glasses on, he blinked to try and adjust his eyes to the light, but it was no use. He felt dreadfully sick, he couldn't see straight or even adjust his vision to a half-way decent level, and he still had this awful headache. To make things worse, he had just remembered Easter dinner with the Weasleys.  
  
"Oh shit," he mumbled, rubbing his forehead and trying to sit up in bed. He tried standing up, but he could hardly keep himself balanced. When he finally managed to stabilize himself, he staggered into the bathroom looking for some sort of medicinal relief, but he came to a bad realization. He didn't have any hangover potion or headache draught to his name.  
  
"Well, I'm going to have to go and get this dinner over with eventually, might as well do it as soon as possible, and then I can come home and sleep," he said with a sigh.  
  
He pulled a bottle of Muggle aspirin from the medicine cabinet and took a few of them. He hoped that this would offer him slight relief to where he would be able to apparate. He eventually returned to his bedroom and tried to dress as best he could. After doing all that he could to improve his appearance, he disapparated. When he finally reached Ottery St. Catchpole, he realized that he had not ended up at the Burrow. He must have been too fuzzyheaded to concentrate properly, and that honestly did not surprise him one bit. Having driven through this town from his way to the Burrow from the Dursleys' in the old turquoise Ford Anglia, he had a pretty good sense of where he was going, or at least he hoped. When he finally arrived at the Burrow, he knew that he was definitely late. He saw everyone else already inside, eating and having a good time.  
  
Before he could knock on the door, he saw Ron gesturing everyone's attention to the window at which Harry was standing. Then, he saw him walking toward the door. When it swung open, and he saw Ron standing there, waiting to welcome him in.  
  
"Finally you get here! We were starting to worry about you, mate," Ron said, ushering Harry inside. Harry then looked at his watch and realized that he was several hours late.  
  
When he got inside, everyone was saying hello and greeting him, and all of the sound was positively ringing in his ears, making his head spin. Before he knew it, Ron was pulling him upstairs. He had a feeling that this was going to be a continuation of the conversation that Ron had tried to have with him yesterday, but that had been interrupted by celebration. When they got to Ron's room, he quickly and quietly shut the door behind them.  
  
"Harry, can you do me a favor and keep this entire conversation a secret?" Ron quietly asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that I can," Harry replied.  
  
Ron sat down at his desk and opened his desk drawer. Harry was becoming quite curious as to know what Ron was doing. Then, he saw him pull out a small jewelry box. Then, he handed it to Harry and gestured for him to open it. When he opened it, he saw a beautiful diamond set in a gold band.  
  
"I just hope that she'll say yes," Ron quietly said. Harry then saw Ron looking at him. He knew that he would want a response.  
  
Harry actually wasn't quite sure what to say. He was actually quite shocked. All of the thoughts of Hermione and his dream were flooding back into his mind. To be completely honest, this upset him quite a bit. He knew that Hermione was supposed to be his, and he felt that there was an attraction for her forming in his mind. Then, he completely crushed that thought and tossed it from his mind. He knew that he should be happy for Ron. He knew that his chance with Hermione had passed, and that he should just forget about it. Ron had gotten her, and Harry had never even shown any interest until now, and that shouldn't be a reason for Hermione to leave Ron. That dream that he had was just a stupid subconscious thought that had formed in his mind one night. It meant nothing to him, and it didn't mean anything for a relationship between he and Hermione. Harry then smiled to show Ron that he definitely approved.  
  
"Great," Ron happily said, "I'm thinking of doing it over dinner, but I'm going to wait a few days. I don't think that I should drop that bomb on her in front of my family. Their shock might kill her."  
  
"Yeah, it might," Harry said in a voice that sounded happy, but he couldn't quite put the emotion behind it. "That sounds like a great idea. I'm sure it will be great."  
  
Ron smiled, and he then suggested that they go back downstairs before anyone gets suspicious of anything those two could scheme up. People probably thought they were becoming the next Fred and George. Then, they went back down to join the celebration going on. It was a really great party, and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time eating and being merry, but after yesterday's affair, no one seemed to be drinking.  
  
After everyone had celebrated for many hours, they all decided that it was about time for them to part ways and end the party. By this time, Harry was dead tired, and the lingering headache wasn't helping, it was only getting worse. By this time, he was sitting on the sofa in the living room trying to soothe his aching head when Hermione walked in.  
  
"Hello Harry!" she said, sitting down next to him.  
  
"Oh, Hello Hermione," he quietly and nervously replied.  
  
She looked at him, and she could tell that something was troubling him. Hermione placed her hand on Harry's cheek. At this moment, Harry felt as though his stomach was going to explode and that he was going to throw up again, but in a good way this time. Hermione smiled at him, but Harry couldn't find any strength to even move. He was feeling quite odd at the moment, and he felt as though he wasn't going to be able to control himself for much longer. He quickly mustered all of his strength and resistance and stood up, leaving Hermione sitting on the sofa alone. He knew that this was wrong, and that someone could walk in and see them sitting together, and as close as they were, someone was bound to get the wrong idea.  
  
"I'm, um, going to go home now. Goodbye Hermione," Harry nervously said. After speaking, he quickly disapparated.  
  
When he reached his front door, he leaned against the frame and took a deep breath in effort to calm down. 'Easy Harry,' he thought, 'you almost lost it. Who knows what you could have said or done! Hermione is not yours, and you're going to have to accept that.' When he was finished thinking, he slowly unlocked the door to his apartment, desperate for sleep and escape from all of these thoughts of Hermione and Ron. Suddenly, he heard a small 'pop' from the outside hall. Not long after that, someone was knocking on his door.  
  
"Harry? Are you in there? Please open up!" came Hermione's exasperated voice from the hall.  
  
Harry, shocked by the sound of her voice, quickly opened the door. Then, Hermione quickly walked in, looking slightly angry.  
  
"What's wrong with you Harry? Please," she said, trying to keep herself calm, "whatever it is, let me help you."  
  
Harry sighed, "Honestly Hermione, I didn't mean to leave like that. It's just that I have a horrible headache; resulting from that bloody hangover I got from staying out too long last night. I just can't deal with much right now, and I really don't want to try."  
  
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, walking toward the kitchen, "Is that all? Well, sit down and I'll have the perfect thing for you in a moment."  
  
Reluctantly, Harry sat down in front of his fireplace on the sofa. He had to calm down, especially now that Hermione was in his apartment. He heard noise coming from the kitchen and wondered what Hermione could be concocting in there. A few minutes later, she emerged with a steaming mug in her hand and a smile on her face.  
  
"Here you are," she soothingly said, handing him the mug and taking the seat next to him. "It's a simple headache draught with a bit of a mild calming potion added, just to make you feel less edgy and more able to handle things," she said, sounding just like his bossy-know-it-all best friend from school.  
  
After only a few sips, he was already starting to feel a lot better. When he had finished the entire glass, he felt fresh and renewed. He was also starting to become more aware of the situation that he was currently in. This was definitely not something he ever expected to happen. As he sat the glass down, Hermione placed her head on his shoulder. Knowing this was no more than a friendly gesture, Harry tried to put all thoughts out of his mind. Unfortunately for him, after only a few minutes, he was starting to feel dreadfully uncomfortable in his pants. He looked down at Hermione to see what she was doing. She was simply gazing into the fire, her soft brown eyes catching the light. Her soft pink t-shirt and denim jeans fit her perfectly, and Harry could only admire the perfect curves of her body.  
  
Then, she reached for the clip that was holding the mass of light brown and blonde curls from her shoulders. When Harry saw this, he said, "Oh, let me help you with that."  
  
"Thanks," she quietly said, letting her curls fall down and tumble almost to her waist. Suddenly, it was as though Hermione was realizing the situation that was occurring between the two of them. She quickly stood up and shook her hair behind her shoulders.  
  
"I had better go now," she said, walking toward the door. Harry sensed a nervous vibe in her voice. He really didn't want her to leave, but he knew that she must sense that this really wasn't right either. He quickly stood up and followed her. He still wanted to thank her and to say goodnight.  
  
"Wait Hermione," he said, walking up behind her and placing his hand around her waist.  
  
He suddenly heard her gasp, and she turned around to face him. He saw her eyes widen, and he could feel her tense up under his touch. He knew that he had to ease some of this tension between them. Then, he tilted his head down and kissed her lightly on the lips.  
  
"Thanks for helping me out, I feel a million times better now," he said, smiling.  
  
Hermione laughed, and stood up on her tiptoes and playfully returned his kiss. "You're quite welcome, glad I could help. If you ever need it again, just let me know."  
  
After speaking, she didn't move away from him. All that she did was brush a few curls from her face and gaze longingly into his eyes. Harry then knew that this was his moment to act. He bent down again and placed his arms around her. He slowly placed his lips against hers, placing a soft but seductive kiss on her lips. She quickly opened her mouth, pressing herself against him, hungrily searching his mouth, like she had never been kissed this way before. Surprised at her reaction to his, he kissed her even harder. He felt his boxers growing tighter and definitely more uncomfortable, but he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted her more than anything else in the world. Before either of them knew it, he had picked her up and was carrying her into his bedroom, eager to continue. Little did Harry know, or care, at the moment, all of this should be quite familiar to him.  
  
Author's Note: Hey! I hope that you liked that installment of my story. I want to thank all of those who reviewed my story as of 9:30 p.m. on Monday July 14th, 2003.  
  
Ramy: Hey! Thanks so much for liking my story, and I really hope that you like this chapter!  
  
I hope that everyone enjoyed this, and I'll try to be back with chapter four as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! ~harryschic 


	4. The Fallen Angel Recaptured

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Four: The Fallen Angel Recaptured  
  
After reaching his bedroom door, Harry frantically fumbled with the doorknob. He knew that he was going to have to get the door opened very soon, even if it killed him. But since he was busy engrossing himself in Hermione's kisses, he really couldn't see what he was doing. Finally, after several seconds of struggling with it and still trying to kiss Hermione, he almost kicked the door in. By this time, the pair had slowed in their behavior, and the mood of the situation that they currently found themselves in had switched from fast-paced and in the heat of the moment to romantic and sensual. While still kissing, but quite slowly and in a very seductive manner, Harry was quickly unbuttoning his shirt, and Hermione was slowly guiding him in the direction of the bed.  
  
When he opened his eyes and looked around, he realized that he remembered where all of this was coming from, his dream! Oh God, how he hoped that it would never end! This was definitely the perfect occasion, and Harry couldn't have wished for anything more at that moment. He knew that this was the way it was supposed to be between them, and he intended to keep it this way for a very long time.  
  
As the night progressed, everything went in exactly the same way as it did in his dream. All the perfect moments came back to him just as the had previously occurred. The right kiss in just the place could set off anything. It was just one of those times where everything was absolutely destined to go right. Just as it was in his wonderful dream, it was all so perfect. He never knew until now how much Hermione really meant to him, and he was really regretting waiting as long as he did to do anything about it. He couldn't believe that all of the signs and perfect opportunities had went in one ear and out the other. He had been so stupid!  
  
Hermione was amazing, and Harry couldn't believe how experienced she was. If there was one thing that she could do, it was know how to drive you to the utmost peak of anticipation before slowly but surely showing you ecstasy in its purest form. Harry knew that he was rather good at this himself, but this was more than just being with a woman in bed, this was beautiful, pure and simple. He had known this beautiful woman for many years, and it all just seemed right, especially now, when he was with her.  
  
When the night's events were slowly ending and everyone was quite satisfied, they decided that it was time to call it quits, for now at least. You could see it in both their eyes. . .this was extraordinary. They couldn't stop smiling, and there was good reason for it all around.  
  
Hermione smiled, "Harry, that was absolutely amazing."  
  
He could only laugh before he replied, "Believe me, you're not the only one who is going to agree to that statement.  
Then, Harry reached for his glasses that had been carelessly thrown to his beside table. Before he could reach them, he had set off the radio in his alarm clock. He reached to turn it off, but before he could, something caught him quite off guard.  
  
"I took one look and something snapped inside,  
I said, 'I love your eyes.'  
You took my heart, you took my breath away,  
I felt my temperature rise."  
  
Harry gasped, and his eyes widened dramatically. Hermione only smiled at him when she saw this.  
  
"Oh Harry," she quietly said, "please leave that on, that song is so beautiful."  
  
Harry was still in shock of this. It was the song from his dream! He knew now that Hermione was his fallen angel, and this time, it was going to be forever. When he turned back around, he saw Hermione sitting beside of him. She was smiling sweetly and paying full attention to the song on the radio. He decided that no words were needed now. He placed his arms around her, and they sat for a long time, listening to the beautiful words of the song. Harry could only smile at this. Then, he took one look at Hermione before falling asleep, the love of his life still in his arms.  
  
The next morning, Harry woke to the sun beating down into his eyes. He had no idea what time it was, or anything for that matter. He reached for his glasses, but he realized that there was something lying beside of him that his arms were closed about. He gasped suddenly as he got the figure into slight focus. Hermione? Now he remembered the events of the previous night. A smile broke on his face as he remembered everything that had happened, and he knew that it was all so right. As he shifted toward the right to retrieve his glasses, he felt Hermione stir next to him. She too blinked at the magnitude of the sunlight.  
  
"Harry? Is that you? Wow, this is definitely odd," she quietly said, moving herself to an upright position.  
  
Harry smiled, "Good morning Hermione, definitely not the greeting I would have expected, but I'll take it anyway," he said, kissing her on the forehead.  
  
He could tell that something was wrong with her, and Harry had a really bad feeling that things from the real world were really starting to come back to her. Things would never be the same between them, and some things were going to drastically change, and maybe for the worse.  
  
"Ron," Hermione whispered to herself.  
  
"Yeah," Harry quietly said, not really caring. He really couldn't believe that, at this moment and after all that they had shared, she was thinking about Ron.  
  
After this, Harry got up and started to dress. He really didn't think that this was the best way to start what should be one of the better days in his life. After he was done, he turned to see Hermione sitting in bed with a scared and tense look on her face. He knew that this couldn't be good.  
  
"Hermione," he soothingly said, sitting down next to her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder, "what's wrong?"  
  
She took a ragged breath and replied, "Harry, don't get me wrong, everything was absolutely wonderful last night, you and I both know that. But, I feel horrible for cheating on Ron, and I think that I'm going to either have to tell him, or just break up with him."  
  
Harry sighed, he really wished that this day wouldn't have started with Hermione worrying. He didn't want her to have to worry about anything, but yet he really didn't want to have to keep this a secret from the world. This was one of the best things that had ever happened to him, and he wanted to shout to the world that he loved Hermione Granger, but she seemed to be saying that without words, no one should know.  
  
"Hermione, if you don't want me to say anything yet, then I won't, but please, can we have this settled really soon? I really want to be with you, and I hope you feel the same about me," he quietly said.  
  
At these words, she burst into tears, "Oh Harry! I want to be with you too, but I'm just so afraid of hurting Ron! But," she said, calming down a bit, "I'm going to do something about this. Please, just don't mention it now."  
  
Harry smiled and kissed Hermione lightly on the lips, "I promise."  
  
Hermione smiled, "Well, I had better get going, but I'm sure that we'll see one another soon."  
  
Harry smiled as he walked with her to the door. He had to admit, even though a bit disheveled, Hermione was still so beautiful. She seemed to be a lot calmer now, and Harry was so glad of this. He opened the door so that she could leave because she only lived a few buildings away, and it wasn't such a bad walk. She turned to tell him goodbye, and she kissed him on the lips.  
  
"It was great," she said, "I'll come by later if you'd like."  
  
"Yeah, that would be nice," he said, "Till later, goodbye Hermione."  
  
"Goodbye for now, Harry," she said, smiling.  
  
Hermione turned to leave, but Harry stopped her. "Before you leave, I just wanted you to know that, I love you. I pretty much always have."  
  
Hermione smiled and gently touched Harry's cheek, "I love you too, and I feel the same way. My heart's been yours for longer than you know. Goodbye Harry."  
  
With that, she turned and went for the elevator. Harry could only watch her go and think about how much he loved that woman.  
  
What a great night. . .  
  
Author's Note: Hey! I hope that you enjoyed chapter four, and I hope that you'll stay tuned for chapter five. I give you this, interesting things shall happen! I want to thank all of those who have reviewed my story as of 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 21st, 2003.  
  
Ramy: Thank you so much for reviewing again! You have to be one of my most loyal readers. I'm really glad that you are a fellow H/H lover, I definitely am! I hope that you enjoyed the latest chapter!  
  
Sunshine: Thank you so much for reading my story! I really hope that you liked this new chapter!  
  
Robaatsu: Thanks for reading, and I hope that you'll read my future chapters!  
  
VoldemortX: Thanks so much! I'm glad that you share some of the same H/H ideas that I do. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and I really hope that you'll read the next few!  
  
Nice: I really hope that this chapter goes well with the previous!  
  
Once again, thanks to all who read, and please enjoy it! ~harryschic 


	5. Finding out the Truth and Even More Surp...

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Five: Finding Out the Truth and Even More Surprising News  
  
Several days later, nothing had been mentioned of the night that had happened between Harry and Hermione, and it seemed as though she was in no hurry whatsoever to inform Ron of it. This was setting Harry on edge any time he would see them together. He couldn't believe that, after all that had occurred between them, and the promise that she had made to him, that she was still clinging to Ron at every second. Things seemed to be going quite well between them, and this was absolutely tearing Harry apart.  
  
Days continued to pass, and there was no change in the situation at hand. Things seemed to be going quite smooth in their almost perfect lives, and this was definitely out of the ordinary. Things had been so quiet in the wizarding world since the last attempt on Harry Potter's life by Lord Voldemort. It was one of those times that made you happy, but it also put you on edge, wondering when it would occur once more.  
  
A few weeks after the unmentionable night, Harry and Ron had decided to have lunch together. They hadn't seen each other in a few days, and they decided that they had some catching up to do, especially in the world of wizarding sports. This had always been one of their favorite subjects, and it was definitely their favorite subject to fight about.  
  
Harry had apparate to the small café that he and Ron had decided upon and gotten a table. He knew that Ron was habitually late, so he completely understood when a few minutes had gone by, and he still had no company. After about twenty minutes, though, he had started to become rather worried. It wasn't like Ron to be this late, no matter what the situation. Before he could leave to try and find him, he heard a loud pop enter on the other side of the restaurant. Then, he saw a panic stricken Ron walking quickly toward him, looking as though something terrible had happened.  
  
"Harry, when was the last time you saw Hermione?" Ron nervously said.  
  
"I dunno," he quietly replied, the sound of her name still hurt him on the inside, "I guess it was a few days ago, the last time I saw you I'd say. Is there something wrong?"  
  
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, there is. I went to drop in on Hermione before I met you, just to see how she's doing. When I get to her flat, I find everything in the same order, but there's no Hermione. I've found no way of contacting her, and I have no clue as to where she's at," he added, "And, frankly mate, I'm bloody terrified."  
  
Harry wasn't quite sure what to say. Sure, he was quite nervous at the thought of Hermione being missing in action, but he was also sure that he knew nothing as to her whereabouts. He knew that something must be up, and there was something that Hermione didn't want he and Ron to know.  
  
"I'm sorry Ron, I'm really not quite sure where she's at, but if I hear from her, I'll let you know as soon as I can, okay?" Harry said, trying to be helpful.  
  
"Thanks Harry, I'm going to go now, and I'm sorry about lunch, but I'll make it up to you really soon," he quickly said before disapparating.  
  
Harry only sighed and stared at the now empty space that had previously contained Ron. Where was Hermione? Was she trying to hide something from the both of them? He wasn't sure, but he knew that he really wanted to get to the bottom of all of this. With that, he disapparated.  
  
A few days had passed since the first noticed disappearance of Hermione, and there was still no word of her. Ron was a nervous wreck all of the time, and Harry was starting to become quite nervous himself. This wasn't like Hermione to leave without a word to anyone. He was starting to think that something was seriously wrong. The Ministry was checking into possible foul play and other possible occurrences, but nothing seemed to be making much sense.  
  
Nothing seemed to be coming any clearer for a few days. All things would soon make sense about a week later, and Harry would soon know the truth behind this entire ordeal. About two a.m. one morning, Harry had just dragged in from Quidditch practice. It had been a grueling practice that had lasted nearly the entire day, and he wanted nothing more than to lie in his bed and sleep, and sleep for many hours. After he had finally drifted off, he heard a jarring knock on his front door. He was really wondering who could be needing to see him this badly at two in the morning.  
  
When he opened the door, he saw a fuming Ron, standing framed in his doorway, looking as though he could kill. Harry only gasped and backed away from him.  
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" he said, trying not to anger him.  
  
"What's wrong? What's wrong you ask? You should know bloody well what's wrong with me Mr. I-have-no-clue-where-Hermione-is," Ron screamed in his face.  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry nervously asked, "I told you, I don't know where Hermione is, and why would you think that I would?"  
  
"I found Hermione all right!" he sarcastically said, "I found her in the one place I forgot to look, her parents' house. I got there a few hours ago to find her, and she sure didn't seem very happy to see me. I sure got some news that I wasn't expecting!"  
  
"What do you mean Ron?" Harry said, trying to show that he was innocent, which was a rather large task.  
  
"What do I mean? Well, I ask Hermione why she leaves on such short notice, and I tell her that we were quite worried about her. Then, she tells me all about you lovely and romantic night together. My, my, wasn't I surprised to hear that one! That wasn't even the most interesting news!" Ron boomed, his angry voice rising louder and louder with every sentence.  
  
"Well, what was the most interesting news then, Ron?" he said, rather dreading the words that were about to come.  
  
"I hope that you're happy now Harry, you've got the woman that I loved, and believe me, I don't want her anymore. I just really hope that you're going to be happy with the two of them!" With that, he stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Harry didn't take time to register what Ron had just said. He was still too angry at him for coming into his own home and treating him in this way. Then, he threw his door back and rushed out to catch Ron.  
  
"What the bloody hell do you mean by "with the two of them"?" he angrily said, fighting back the temptation to punch him in the face.  
  
"I guess you didn't register that one, eh, mate?" He silkily said, "I hope that you and Hermione make good parents to your forthcoming child, because I sure don't want anything to do with either of you, anytime for the rest of time!"  
  
With that, Ron disapparated, and Harry was left there to ponder his words. He and Hermione were going to be parents, now he understood Ron's anger, and he knew that he would be quite angry too. Now, he knew what he had to do, he had to find Hermione and get to the bottom of this.  
  
So goes another chapter of Harry's very different life....  
  
Author's Note: Hey! I hope that you enjoyed Chapter 5. Sorry about the time. I've been away at camp. Today, I've been up for almost 30 straight hours because I was up all night at a lock-in, and I decided to write this while I still had the creative energy left! I want to say thank you to all of those who reviewed my story as of 4:30 p.m. on Saturday July 26th, 2003.  
  
Robaatsu: Hey! Thanks so much for reviewing my last chapter, and I really hope that this one will be better than the last. I'm sorry about the time between chapters, but I've been having to think for a few days to get more ideas, but I hope that you'll forgive me. Once again, thanks for reading!  
  
Ruth: Hello Ruth! I'm so glad that you like my writing style, and I really hope that you are able to follow it well and get as much from the story as you possibly can. Thanks again for reading. I hope that this explained how Hermione dropped the bomb on Ron for you!  
  
Nice: Yes indeed, dreams can come true! This one definitely did! Ron, um, didn't take the news very well, I guess you would say. Hope you liked this chapter and thanks for reading!  
  
VoldemortX: Hey! I really hope that you liked the newest chapter. I'm glad that you think it's full of passion because that's what I'm going to try and go for! I really hope that you'll like this and please read again in the future!  
  
Okay guys, I haven't started chapter six yet, but I will try and do it soon! I hope that you liked this, and thanks for reading! Please reply if you'd like!~ ~harryschic 


	6. The Truth and Happiness

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Six: The Truth and Happiness  
  
Harry was still in utter shock. How could this have happened? He and Hermione were going to be...parents? The shock of the entire thought still couldn't register very well in his brain. It must be true though, he thought to himself as he re-entered his apartment. Ron couldn't have been that mad at him and not have been telling the truth. It just wasn't something that he would do. Ron was the type that could blow up over something that wasn't true, but Harry seriously didn't think that Hermione would just be telling a lie like that. Harry sat down on the sofa and rekindled the fire from the smoldering ashes that lingered in the fireplace. Thoughts were running through his head about a mile a minute. He didn't really know what his next move should be. Then, he suddenly had a thought that stopped all things going on in his brain.  
  
"Hermione," he said to himself, his heart almost stopping.  
  
He didn't stop to consider her at all. How could he have been so insensitive to her feelings? He could only imagine what she must be going through right now. He had to be with her, just to let her know that everything was going to be all right. He hated that he, Ron, and Hermione were going to have to have this fight, but he was very angry with Ron for being so cruel to Hermione. He could kill him. It was obvious to him now that Ron couldn't possibly love Hermione after treating her like that. After changing into some clean clothes and trying to collect his thoughts, he quickly disapparated, hoping to reach Hermione's house as soon as he possibly could.  
  
Harry reached the small suburban neighborhood where Hermione's parents lived in a few short minutes. He had been there many times, but just to help Hermione pick up something or an occasional holiday visit. As he walked down the sidewalk, he was sure that he looked quite out of place. It was almost three o'clock in the morning, and here he was, Harry Potter, walking down the street. Since he was only about half awake, it had to be an odd scene. When he reached the Granger's front door, he was very reluctant to knock. He saw that a few lights were on inside, but he really wasn't sure what kind of reaction he would receive. He quickly smoothed his hair down to the best of his ability in efforts to make himself slightly more presentable. Then, he took a deep breath and quietly tapped on the door. In a matter of seconds, the door began to creak open. Mrs. Granger's head slowly appeared beside of the door.  
  
"Oh, hello Harry, I guess I shouldn't ask why you're here," she quietly said, sounding rather disturbed.  
  
"I'm really sorry about all of this Mrs. Granger, we never really meant for this to happen," he quietly said walking inside.  
  
Mrs. Granger led him to the stairs, "I understand Harry, and I'm really trying to believe that," she sighed, "Hermione's upstairs and to the left, and I'm sure that she's still awake."  
  
Harry really didn't want to press anything with her. He knew that she wasn't in the best of moods after all that had happened tonight, and he really didn't want to bother her with unnecessary questions. He hoped that all of the information that he was searching for would be found in Hermione. After reaching the top of the stairs, he took a turn to the left. He needn't ask which room was Hermione's. It was the only one with any sound coming from it. He could hear her stifled sobs from somewhere beyond the door. Not wasting another moment, Harry slowly pushed the door open. He saw Hermione lying in her bed, and she was all but crying her eyes out. She obviously didn't see Harry come in because she didn't look up or acknowledge him. Harry slowly walked toward her bed and sat down on the edge. He must have startled her because she abruptly stopped crying and looked toward him.  
  
"Harry, I didn't hear you come in," she said, trying to hide the sadness in her voice.  
  
"Hermione, please, don't stop on my account, I know this must be hard on you," he soothingly said.  
  
At this, Hermione once again broke down. Harry felt really bad for her, but there were also a few things that he needed to know, and he really felt that she should tell him. Being the father, wasn't he entitled to this? He sat down next to her and placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.  
  
"Hermione, I need to know, why didn't you tell me any of this?" he quietly said, trying not to upset her even though he was quite bothered by all of this himself.  
  
"Oh Harry," she sobbed, "I really wanted to, b-but, I just couldn't. I didn't know what you would think of me," she stopped again to catch her breath, "but, I thought t-that Ron should know, and w-when I told him, he went off on me and told me that he never wanted to s-see me again!"  
  
"Oh Hermione, please, don't worry about all of this. You know that I'm going to be here for you. Even though Ron's gone now, you know that you're always going to have me. I mean, I wish that you had told me, but it's all going to be okay since you didn't. I know, and I'm going to take care of you," Harry said, trying to calm her down.  
  
Hermione laid her head down on Harry's shoulder at his words. He placed his arms around her in efforts to make her feel better. She continued to cry for a few minutes, and Harry just let her go on with it. He really didn't know much of what she was going through now. She'd just lost someone who she had been with for years, and it was all because there was another person coming into her life. Harry really was seeing all of the irony going on in this situation. He wasn't really sure what was going to happen between the two of them and Ron, but he knew that he was going to be with Hermione forever just so that he could love her and always be there for her. When Hermione finally calmed down enough to talk to him, she spoke very quietly.  
  
"Harry," she quietly said, the sweetness coming back to her voice, "I really am sorry that I didn't tell you. I had planned to tell you as soon as I found out, but I panicked. After the way Ron reacted tonight, I was never going to tell you. I knew that you would find out eventually, but I was too afraid that you would react the same way that he did."  
  
Harry only sighed at her words. He really hoped that she knew that he would never treat her like that. He brushed a few curls from her face and dried the tears that were still lingering on her face. Then, he kissed her lightly on the lips. "Hermione," he quietly said, "I promise you that I will never treat you that way. I hope that you know that I love you more than anything, and I'll do anything for you. I truly am happy that we're going to be parents, and I'm ready to take the responsibility on at full speed."  
  
Hermione the burst into tears once again. Harry hoped that he hadn't said something wrong, but when she looked up, she was smiling.  
  
"Oh Harry!" she exclaimed, "I'm so glad that you're happy! I wasn't really sure what to say, but now that I know that you are happy, I couldn't be happier about it!"  
  
She threw her arms around his neck and returned his previous kiss. He was ecstatic that she was once again back to her old and happy self.  
  
"So, tell me, any other interesting news that I need to know?" he said, placing his had on Hermione's belly.  
  
She only laughed, "No, not that I can think of at the moment!"  
  
The two of them cuddled up together in bed and talked for hours. Harry could tell that Hermione was calming down a lot, and he was really starting to feel a lot better too. He really felt that he was looking at Hermione in a different light now. She seemed to have this "maternal glow" about her, and Harry knew that it could only make her more beautiful. Before either of them knew it, they had talked into the wee hours of the morning. Around five a.m., Hermione's mother was heard, and she came in the room, only to see the two of them together.  
  
"Good morning you two, have you not slept?" she said, still trying to wake up.  
  
"Not really mum, are you and dad getting ready for work?" Hermione said with a yawn.  
  
"Yes dear, feel free to stay here if you'd like, we should be back later," she said, leaving the room.  
  
When Hermione's parents had left, Harry realized how tired that he really was. He hadn't slept since the night before, and it was really starting to catch up with him. Hermione noticed this, and she knew that he needed to sleep.  
  
"Oh Harry, why don't you go on home, you look dead tired," she said, brushing his raven hair away from his eyes.  
  
Harry yawned before replying, "Yeah, I think I should, but only if you'll go with me," he added with a devilish grin.  
  
Hermione only giggled at his statement. "All right, I'll leave a note for mum and dad and then I'll accompany you," she said in a sarcastic tone.  
  
When she had left the note for her parents, the two of them left together. Such a beautiful couple, with such an odd beginning at romance.  
  
Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I hope to have the rest of the story up soon! No, this isn't the end, it's about the middle, I promise more action soon! Now, I want to say Thank You to all of my readers who reviewed as of 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30th, 2003.  
  
David M. Potter: Hey! Thanks for reading, and I hope that you liked the latest installment!  
  
TheGeekishPixie: Hey Chick! I hope that you've enjoyed my story as much as I liked yours. Don't worry, everything is probably going to turn out in the end, we'll just have to see. I'm gonna miss your story, I hope you'll do another! Thanks again for reading!  
  
VoldemortX: Hey! I hope that this answered a few of the questions that you had at the end of chapter 5. Once again, thanks for reading, and I hope that you enjoyed!  
  
loser-mi-ushi: Thanks for the encouragement, and I hope that you enjoyed chapter 6. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!  
  
Ruth: Hello again! I'm really glad that you like, and I hope that you'll continue reading!  
  
Sweetpup: Yeah, I totally agree, the Weasleys DO have tempers, and I'm sure that the red hair encourages that problem! LOL Thanks for reading!  
  
emmy-bone-kat: Hey, I'm really glad that you were able to read my story in one day, but more importantly, I'm glad that you liked it! Yeah, Ron will be okay though, and I agree, H/H is the best! Thanks for reading!  
  
Ramy: Hey! Thanks once again for being, like, my most LOYAL reader! You're always there to encourage! Thanks about the song too hehe it's one of my favorites! I really hope that you liked the last two chapters, and I do hope that you'll tune in for more! Thanks so much for reading!  
  
Hey everyone, I hope that you've enjoyed the first six chapters, and I really hope that you'll check back for more very soon! ~harryschic 


	7. New Beginnings

Disclaimer: All characters so far are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Seven: New Beginnings  
  
Over the next few months, things between Harry and Hermione seemed to be getting better. After the night at her parents house and the fight with Ron, Hermione did seem to be quite shaken up, but she had definitely taken a turn for the best when Harry came to help her pick up the pieces. Harry had asked her to move in with him, but she had politely declined.  
  
"Oh honestly Harry, we really shouldn't be doing that! I'll stay at my own apartment. I don't want to be a bother to you," she had said, and Harry couldn't help feel that she meant it.  
  
As the days went by, she only seemed to be becoming more and more pregnant, and the emotions were also changing. One day, she'd as happy as anyone could be, but the next she'd be very emotional and not wanting to be around anyone. At first, Harry thought it had been something he had done, but then Hermione's mother had reassured him that it was completely normal for her to be doing this. It definitely relieved him. Thins were going wonderfully between them, but Harry still felt as though there was something missing. He knew that what they did had been wrong, but he wanted to somehow make it better. Finally, he thought he had found the perfect way to do that.  
  
"I'm coming, be there in a second!" Harry heard Mr. Granger's muffled voice from inside the house.  
  
When he answered the door, he saw Harry standing there, looking quite nervous for some reason.  
  
"Hello Harry, what brings you here?" Mr. Granger asked, inviting him inside the house.  
  
"There's just been something that I've been wanting to discuss with you and Mrs. Granger for a few weeks, and I think that now seems to be the right time," Harry nervously said, following Mr. Granger into the living room.  
  
Mrs. Granger must have heard the conversation from her position in the kitchen because when the two men arrived in the living room, she was setting the small coffee table with tea and cookies. Harry politely declined. He didn't know how well this meeting would go, and he was afraid that if he were to eat, he'd probably throw up. After a few minutes of quiet, Mr. Granger finally broke the silence.  
  
"So Harry," he said with a smile, "what brings you here?"  
  
"Well," Harry quietly started, "I'm sure that the recent circumstances between Hermione and I have been less than pleasing to the both of you," he paused at this, hoping not to receive any negative energy. "But, I want you to know, even though Hermione probably doesn't know this, I've loved her since the beginning of our seventh year, I was just too afraid to tell her because of her relationship with Ron. With everything that has been going on lately, I've only grown to love her a little more every day. I can only hope that she feels the same way about me. That's why, I've came here tonight to ask you both for your daughter's hand in marriage."  
  
He really wasn't expecting the reaction that he received. At his words, Mrs. Granger gasped, and Mr. Granger's eyes widened. But, the both of them seemed quite happy. Harry was expecting them to think that this was only out of pity for the situation that he had gotten their daughter into, but he really did love her, and he didn't care what kind of situation they found themselves in, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Hermione, and he sincerely hoped that she would feel the same way about him.  
  
Mr. Granger smiled, "Nothing would make us happier than to allow this. We've known how you really feel about Hermione ever since the morning you came knocking on our front door at two a.m. just to see if Hermione was all right."  
  
By this time, Mrs. Granger was all but sobbing, but he could see that they were only tears of joy. Then, Harry suddenly remembered something.  
  
"Oh!" he exclaimed, "I almost forgot. I went out and bought a ring hoping that you would say yes, and I wanted to know if you'd like to see it."  
  
Mr. Granger laughed, "Rather confident weren't we Harry? I'm only joking," he quickly said after seeing the severe look his wife had shot him, "Sure, left's have a look at it."  
  
Harry reached inside his jeans pocket and took out the small box that contained the ring that he was planning on surprising Hermione with. He handed it to Mrs. Granger, and she opened it. She gasped once again before handing it to her husband. Harry really hoped they would like it. He had spent about a week at least searching for the perfect one. He had finally selected the perfect one only the day before. There was a diamond set in the middle of the band, and two emeralds were surrounding it on its sides. They were all set into a platinum band that Harry had asked to be specially engraved just for Hermione.  
  
"To the love of my life, Hermione"  
  
Both of Hermione's parents seemed quite happy by the ring, and they were only more excited of Harry's proposal. When he finally departed, he knew what he had to do next. He was going to ask Hermione to be his wife.  
  
Harry had went to visit Hermione at work. She worked in the Muggle Relations department at the Ministry of Magic. Harry had decided that he would ask her out on a romantic dinner date and then propose to her. He was so nervous now that he didn't even know if he'd be able to make it through. He sat down in her office and waited for her to return from running an errand. He looked to see the pictures that were on her desk. She only had two. One was of he, Hermione, and Ron at the beginning of their seventh year. They looked like three teenagers who were young and carefree. He wondered, did Hermione know how he felt about her then and just not say anything? That had to be about the time that he had realized his feelings for her. The other pictures was of he and Hermione. It had been taken only a few weeks ago by her mother. The two of them looked so happy together. He only hoped it would last. About that time, Hermione re- entered her office, quite surprised to see Harry.  
  
"Hello dear," she said, kissing him lightly on the lips, "what brings you here?"  
  
"Nothing much, and I can't stay long, I just wanted to make sure that you were going to be ready tonight around eight when I come to pick you up for dinner," Harry said, placing his arm around her waist.  
  
"Yeah sure, I can be ready then, what's the occasion?" she asked.  
  
"Oh nothing," he said smiling, "can't a guy just take his beautiful girlfriend out for dinner?"  
  
"I guess, but I don't know why you'd consider me beautiful at the moment," she said, placing her hand over her belly.  
  
He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, "It only makes you more beautiful. I'll pick you up at eight, and make sure to look as beautiful as you do now!"  
  
With that, he kissed her on the lips before departing. Hermione was quite curious as to why they were going out tonight, but she put it at the back of her mind and continued on with her work.  
  
About ten minutes to seven, Hermione was quickly trying to finish getting ready. She had decided to wear a soft pink dress, one that actually still fit her. After all of this time of being pregnant, maternity clothes turned out not to be too bad, but she would definitely be happy when she would no longer have to wear them. She'd done her make up and hair as best she could, and she was now trying to get her shoes on. It's just one of those things that you can't do very well when you're pregnant. When she finally finished, she heard a knock at the door. She finally reached it, and she saw Harry standing there in her favorite emerald green shirt and black pants with his black tie. Then, he handed her a single red rose and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Are you ready my love?" he said.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready for whatever you've got planned!" she said, hoping this evening would be a good one.  
  
When they arrived at the restaurant, Hermione saw that it was one of her absolute favorite places to eat in the entire Muggle world. The table that they sat at was lit by candlelight, there were roses on the table, and the scene couldn't have been more romantic. Harry told Hermione to order whatever she wanted, and she did. Anything that she could think of at that moment she'd order, and the scary part about it was that she could actually eat that much. Toward the end of their meal, Harry got Hermione's attention.  
  
"Hermione, there's something I've been wanting to ask you," he quietly said.  
  
"Sure, what it is Harry?" she replied, finishing her dessert.  
  
"Well," he really couldn't think of any words to say at the moment, so he just got down on one knee and took the box in one hand and Hermione's hand in the other. "Will you marry me Hermione Granger?"  
  
Hermione was completely stunned. She couldn't think of anything in the world to say. Her jaw had long since dropped, and the only thing that she could even think to do was cry. She knew that she was so happy, and that she really should give Harry an answer, but all of the excitement and romance had just gotten to her. Between her sobs and gasps for air, she was able to mumble a barely audible 'yes of course,' before bursting out into tears once again. Harry had never seen her quite so speechless, but he was glad for the answer nonetheless. Hermione slowly calmed down, and Harry was glad for it. As they were leaving the restaurant, Hermione suddenly stopped. Harry turned around to see her still standing behind him with a scared look in her eyes.  
  
"Oh my," she quietly said, gripping Harry's hand rather tight.  
  
Harry knew what was happening, and it was definitely something he hadn't expected for at least another month.  
  
"Excuse me!" he nervously said to the host in the front, "Could you please call an ambulance? I think my fiancée's about to have a baby!"  
  
Author's Note: Well! I hope everyone enjoyed this latest chapter. I know what you're going to say, it took you long enough! I'm really sorry, but we took one last vacation before school started back, and it lasted longer than we thought it was going to! I'll try my best to have these up faster, but please forgive me if I don't! School starts tomorrow L Anyway, I want to thank you to all of my readers who have reviewed as of 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 10th, 2003.  
  
TheGeekishPixie: I want to thank you so much for reading my story, and I'm glad that you like it! It's definitely my favorite thing to write about when it comes to Harry Potter. Ron will probably show up again because I have a friend who has a request for his next girlfriend! Once again, thanks for reading, and I hope that you'll enjoy the rest of the story!  
  
Potter-chick: Hey, thanks a lot of reading! I'm glad that you like. I'll try my best to read your story sometime, and I hope that you enjoy the rest!  
  
Emmy-bone-kat: Hey! I'm really glad that things were starting to smooth out in their relationship too! Just wait until the next chapter! J I'm sure it will all be okay. Thanks for reading!  
  
Starbeam13: Thanks for reading! I'm really glad that you're continuing to check up on my story. I hope that you enjoyed the newest chapter, and thanks for reading!  
  
Ramy: Thanks so much for reading! I'm glad that you like my story, and I hope that you'll continue to come back and read more!  
  
Jules: Thanks so much for reading my story!  
  
Macy, Tracy, and Rory: Hey I'm really glad that you all liked my story! Wow! I'm really glad that you're getting ideas for your own too because H/H is the best! Once again, thanks for reading, and I hope that you'll enjoy the rest!  
  
Kiki-sweets222: Hey! Thanks for reading, and I totally agree that Harry and Hermione are better for each other. Don't worry about Ron, it'll all work out!  
  
Staryeyeddival18: Hey I'm really glad that you like my story and my writing style, I'm glad that there's some people out there who dare to be different! LOL Thanks for reading!  
  
Wow! I can't believe I had so many reviews! I want to thank everyone who's been reading, and I really hope that you enjoy the rest of the story! ~harryschic 


	8. Mystifying Hours in a Waiting Room

Disclaimer: All characters so far, except one, are owned by J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc.  
  
A/N: Hello readers! I'm really sorry that this chapter took so long to post. I've started school again, so I will be rather slow on the remaining chapters of this story. My sincere apologies to everyone, but thank you all for being so patient! I hope you enjoy!  
  
The Cost of Passion  
  
Chapter Eight: Mystifying Hours in a Waiting Room  
  
Harry arrived at St. Mungo's only seconds after the healers who had Hermione. Things seemed to be happening so quickly. Harry felt as though it had only been a few days ago that he had found out that Hermione was pregnant and that they had started their relationship. Now, Hermione was in premature labor, and this was scaring Harry to death. He wasn't sure what he should be doing right now because of all of the shock. Suddenly, Harry heard a 'pop' somewhere beside of him. When he looked, Ginny was standing next to him, rather exasperated.  
  
"Harry, what's going on with Hermione?" she quickly said.  
  
"I'm not sure yet, how did you know about this, Ginny?" Harry asked.  
  
"Neville," she paused, trying to calm down, "he and I are together now, he let me know."  
  
Harry had no idea about this thing between Neville and Ginny. He could have sworn that Ginny and Malfoy had been together just the week before. Then, he realized again that there were things going on that were a little more important than Ginny Weasley's love life.  
  
"Oh, I see," he replied, "I'm not sure Ginny, Hermione purposively went into labor, and she's still got about a month to go." He ran his fingers nervously through his hair, "As you can see, I'm not in the best state at the moment."  
  
Ginny led Harry to one of the sofas in the waiting room. She gently said, "Harry honey, it's going be all right. Things like this happen a lot, and everything is almost always okay in the end!"  
  
Harry smiled, he was really hoping to begin to see the logic behind Ginny's words. He was really nervous, but he had to be strong for Hermione. Nothing would be worse than having the father of your child being more nervous that you are, and he's not even giving birth to the baby! Harry and Ginny sat in the waiting room for a few hours just talking about anything they could think of at the spur of the moment. Ginny was very good when it came to calming people down, and she couldn't think of any person in the world who needed it more right now other than Harry. Well, except Hermione, but that was another story. Neither of them had heard much of anything from the other side of the doors in the maternity ward, and they were sincerely hoping that no news was good news.  
  
A few hours later, more people had came. Ginny had taken the liberty of calling Hermione's parents to let them know of the circumstances. With her help, they had found the way into the hospital. Even though they were worried about their daughter, they couldn't help but be mystified by the ways these witches and wizards worked things. Ginny had also notified her own mother which was some what of a replacement mother in Harry's life. She had been positively having kittens when Ginny had told her, but she did her best to remain calm.  
  
Fred and George had stopped by on their way home after closing up their joke shop. They tried to lighten the mood as best they could. After they had left, the five of them were the only remaining people in the waiting room. The time seemed to be slowing, and Harry felt sure that he was nearing the point of insanity. Nothing had been said for three hours about Hermione, and he wasn't sure how much longer he was going to make it without hearing anything. Ginny had asked someone if they knew where Neville was, but he had been called away to another floor, something to do with backfiring charms. Now, they had no way of finding out what was going on in there.  
  
A half-hour later, one of the older healers emerged from the door marked 'delivery room.' Harry jumped from his seat as though it had been electrified. He walked nervously over to the lady and looked at her as though he expected she know what to do. At first, Harry could see no emotion on her face. Then, without warning, she smiled.  
  
"Everything's all right Mr. Potter," she said in a calm but sweet voice.  
  
Harry's eyes widened, and he let out a big breath that brought most of the color back to his pale face. He smiled, and he turned to see what the others would have to say. Hermione's parents were positively relieved, and Mrs. Weasley had grabbed Ginny in a bear hug. Ginny was struggling to get away so that she could breathe again.  
  
"When can I see her?" Harry said, "I want to know what's going on in there!"  
  
The kindly healer replied, "Oh, I'm afraid that it will be a little while before you can see her. She's still recovering from the entire ordeal. But," she said, pointing her hand toward a corridor down the hall, "I think there's someone in down that hallway that may be interested in seeing you."  
  
Harry thanked the woman and turned to the others. "What did she mean?"  
  
He didn't have much time to say anything else because Ginny was all but dragging him down the hall on the right. When he reached the end, he understood completely what was going on. The room beyond the window was the nursery. It all made sense to him now. Babies, boys and girls alike, were sleeping in small bassinettes in the room. Ginny was peering around trying to figure out which one they were looking for. Then, the nurse, who had seen them looking, brought a small baby girl to the window. She obviously knew who Harry was, and she knew which one to bring. Although small, she still resembled Hermione. Her face looked exactly like her mothers, and she even looked as though she'd have brown hair. Ginny had became so excited that she had burst into tears. By this time, Hermione's parents and Mrs. Weasley had joined the query at the end of the hall. Many expressions were displayed. Some were crying, others were overjoyed. They spent a fair few minutes gazing through the glass at the new baby. Harry saw the entire situation as surreal. He couldn't believe that any of this was happening. One day, he had only dreamed of Hermione. Now, she was his. Together, they had created life. He couldn't have been happier.  
  
About an hour later, the healer had returned to the waiting room to find the five adults still sitting there. She asked Harry to come with her because Hermione had been asking for him. He followed her into a room down the left corridor. There, he saw Hermione. Although very exhausted looking, she was still as beautiful as she had been a few short hours ago. Her eyes had been closed, but they fluttered open when she heard Harry enter the room. She smiled, and Harry could really seen how worn out she was.  
  
"Hi Harry," she quietly said as sat down next to her.  
  
"Hey honey, just wait until you see her, she's beautiful," he said, rubbing Hermione's pale cheek.  
  
"Really?" she asked. Harry could tell that this would really cheer Hermione up. About that time, the nurse who had been in the nursery came in with a small bundle in her arms. Hermione's eyes lit up, and she smiled. The nurse handed Hermione the bundle, and she gazed at her daughter for the first time.  
  
Hermione smiled again as she fought back her tears, "You're right Harry, she is beautiful."  
  
"Just like her mother," Harry said with a smile, "Now, what are we going to name her?"  
  
Hermione spoke quickly, "Don't worry, I've already decided that. I've been thinking about it for a really long time, and I think that we'll call her Isabella Alexandria."  
  
Harry laughed at Hermione's quick words. He really didn't know that she had been planning any of this. He guessed that she hadn't told him in case he wanted to fight her on the decision. She smiled, and he could only smile back at her.  
  
"All right then," Harry said in his most businesslike tone, "Isabella Alexandria Potter it is then."  
  
Hermione smiled at his words. He kissed her lightly on the lips.  
  
"I love you," she quietly said,  
  
"I love you too, Hermione." he replied. At that moment, there was no one in the world that was happier than Harry Potter.  
  
Author's Note: Well! I hope that you enjoyed the latest installment of my story. I warn you, this is not the end. There are still a few more things that will hopefully happen before every one lives happily ever after. I want to say thank you to all of my readers who have reviewed as of 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20th, 2003.  
  
Robaatsu: Once again, I want to thank you for reading, and I'm really glad that you've had fun reading my story. It's not over, so I hope that you'll continue checking back! Enjoy!  
  
Ruth3: Don't worry! Everything turned out fine. I knew it would, but I guess I didn't tell everyone else that! LOL I'm glad you liked the ring. That's the kind I'm really hoping to get one of these days! Thanks for reading!  
  
Ramy: I'm really glad that you liked it! I hope that you still enjoy my story, and thanks for reading!  
  
Macy, Tracy 17, and Rory 14: Hello! Thanks for reading, and I really hope that you're enjoying the rest of my story. I really hope that when you write your story you'll send me a link! I'm really proud that you think of me as an inspiration, and I hope that you write great H/H fanfics in the future!  
  
StarKissed1: Hey! Actually, I've never even seen the movie 9 Months! That's so embarrassing to say, I know, but I haven't! I hope that you enjoyed this, and thanks for reading!  
  
Charmed Hermione: Hey! Thanks for reading, and thanks a lot for being the first to sing "Fallen Angel!" It's one of my favorite songs, and I had to get it in there as part of the plot! He's my favorite singer, that's for sure!  
  
emmy-bone-kat: See? Everything turned out okay! Thanks for reading!  
  
Misao Seta: Hey, I'm really glad that you like my story. Yes, Harry and Hermione definitely need to end up together, most people want it that way! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and will check back for more in the future!  
  
I-LOVE-SPENCER: hey, thanks for reading, and I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
Bookworym: Hey, I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!  
  
Crimsonkisses: Hey, thanks for reading. I hope you like this chapter!  
  
Dark moon ASSHOLE: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading!  
  
Jenna Kathleen: Ahh! What a nice thing to say! I can't believe that you would say that about my story! I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and please check back again soon for more! Thank you so much for reading!  
  
Well that's it! That's a lot of reviews! I want to thank every one who has replied, and please check back again soon for more! ~harryschic 


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